The CRTC has ruled that Spike TV can stay on Canada’s cable menus. The hearing was initiated last May when the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) lodged a complaint on behalf of association member, Global TV. The CAB contended that when the former Nashville Network rebranded as male-targeted Spike TV in 2003, it represented unfair competition to Canadian channels such as Global-owned diginet Men TV and should be removed.
More than 219 letters and comments were received by the CRTC on this matter, 184 of them against the CAB’s contention, including one from the Canadian Cable Telecommunication Association (CCTA). The CCTA said that Spike TV had evolved in response to audience preferences and does not compete with Canadian services.
The CRTC found there was insufficient evidence to support the complaint and will amend the list of approved analog services to include the former TNN as its new entity Spike TV.
